Formally introducing...

Bernice,

Nova,

Butterscotch,

Pippa,

Guadalupe,

Ginger,

 and Peppercorn.

Yes, I just did a photo shoot with seven baby chicks.
Yes, I am as embarrassed with myself as you might imagine.

Likely more so.

I am a little bit obsessed with these cute little things.

Our baby chicks...take two

And then there were seven. And that's all. For serious.

My Gram

I still miss her every single day.

The sky tonight

Especially for Youth

 I woke up very early, once again, early this morning to make the hour drive to pick
up Campbell and his friend from EFY. And it was so worth it. Because also once again,
the trip home was hilarious and fun and full of information about the past week.

This guy had an absolutely amazing time. Even more so than last year and
that is saying something. I'm so grateful for those who are willing to sacrifice
so much time and effort for our kids. What an amazing experience.

Former presidents and prime ministers and bathrooms

It's not that I'm not impressed that Jacob has spent the week hanging out with
President Bush, President Clinton and Tony Blair, it is just that I don't think he
realizes how well I cleaned one of our bathrooms and how delicious the two meals
I made this week tasted. I don't mean to make him feel bad, but one of us has a really
glamorous life. And the other drives a fancy car to make themselves feel better.

Bless his heart.

They are home!

Two years felt pretty long and we are so glad to have them back.
What a happy day!

Our baby chicks

These five little ladies joined the Allen family party this morning.
And their cuteness is off the charts. They are more adorable then I imagined
and for the record, I have a very fantastic imagination when it comes to adorable.

Kings Peak...again

This past week, Jacob and Campbell, went on a Kings Peak adventure for the second year in a row.
This time it was with the young men and their leaders from our church.I'm so grateful they are
home safe and had a good time. And I'm so impressed with how well they do hard things.
They are incredible to me and I adore them like crazy.

Cousins and chicken coop building

We are so thankful for Hyrum's help building our chicken coop today.
Matt isn't excited in the least for his chicks to arrive next week.

I'm so grateful these two are such great friends. They work well together,
play well together and are such a positive influence on each other. It is the best.

It's been a really good day.

Here we go again...

Today was a big day for our Matt! I'm glad his braces are on and we can start counting
the months until he is finished. In his case, it should only be about nine of them.
He was already looking so much older to me, the braces didn't help. I just really
love this boy. He has handled his braces amazingly well and is just so fabulous.

Another one for the collection

This fabulous picture was just sent our way and I love it. Those two on the left look quite
a bit like best friends. And that beautiful lady on the right is classiness personified.
Mostly though, this picture reminds me that Jacob and I are blessed beyond what we deserve.

And it truly humbles me to the core on a daily basis.

Something new

This picture makes me happy. Because this handsome man finally has a way over due and much
deserved new car. And when he drove off to work in it this morning for the first time, I felt pretty giddy.
Jacob is truly something else. He should most definitely be riding around in a whole lot of coolness.

Independence Day

 The annual Allen family cherry pit spitting contest. We take it seriously people.

 We loved having Jacob's brother and his family join us for a barbecue and fireworks and fun.

Mostly, so grateful for the reminder today of how much I love my family, my country and my God.

It was a good day.

Home

He's home! Boy howdy, I've missed him. He came home as happy as can be, full of
mosquito bites, absolutely exhausted and looking six inches taller (and not just
because of his awesome hair). I'm so incredibly grateful for good leaders and their
huge sacrifice this week. And so thankful to hug my boy again after six long days.

Gratitude

Jacob requested a copy of one of my bridal pictures to put on his nightstand and in the process

of making that possible, I've thought a lot about this photo. This is many years, many children

and many pounds ago for sure. I've come out a bit more worn, yet so ridiculously happy. I truly

wouldn't change a thing. These 17 years have given me opportunity after opportunity after

opportunity to work hard at becoming the person I promised my Heavenly Father I would

become. I'm so thankful I get to succeed and fail and keep trying. Mostly, I'm just so

deeply grateful to have spent these years being a wife and a mother. I feel so blessed

that those roles have always been enough for me. The Lord is so incredibly kind to me.

June phone pics

Almost 17 years of parenting and I experienced a new (first time) low earlier this month.

Heading to the doctor with our oldest to see if he had strep, I suddenly realized neither of the

two youngest were wearing any shoes. The mothering this house has taken a steep nose dive. 

I took this picture after a pretty rough week this month. But that morning, as I attended

the baptism of a sweet little girl, as a new Primary president, I just felt grateful for my

incredibly good life and this calling that humbles me to the core on a regular basis. 

I'm one of the few moms I know who usually get more done during the summer, while

the kids are home. Maybe not having four different school start times every morning

or having others my two littles want to play with during the day...who knows?

All I know is I love summer. And my morning walk today was gorgeous. 

This guy is something else. He really is just stupendous and I feel so privileged

to be his mom. He is hilarious, brilliant, happy, kind and handsome. He had just
finished his first week of his summer job and truly rocked it. I adore him like crazy. 

These two spent three days at youth conference and came home ridiculously happy,

very sunburned, super talkative and apparently a little weirder. I feel beyond grateful

for so many incredible leaders who sacrificed an unreal amount of time, effort, money

and kindness for our kids. This mom thanks you from the bottom of her heart. 

On my way up to the temple this particular morning, I listened to the words of Henry B. Eyring

when he said, "Purity will be your protection and the protection of your children. You owe them that

blessing." I couldn't stop thinking about that at the temple and throughout that day. I am so grateful

for the gospel that encourages purity and cleanliness and for the blessing of seeking it constantly. 

Jacob was gone for six days to Scotland. I was so happy to have him home,

I took a picture of his suitcase on our bed. I'm pretty much a nerd.

Night games, roasting s'mores and now a movie outside on the lawn.

Thirty high schoolers hanging out at our house on a Friday night. I really love being a mom. 

A few days ago, I took this picture. After what felt like such a devastating few days for America and

a heartbreaking couple of days for our neighborhood. I just ache when others suffer so deeply. But I

tried my best to refocus all of my sadness into prayer. Because absolutely nothing I can say or do will

matter as much as the peace that Christ can bring to a broken heart. It truly is beyond understanding.

Last night at cub scout pack meeting, we had a couple of police officers come to talk to the boys

about bike safety. It was awesome. Our cub master is absolutely incredible and I am so

grateful for her. She is one of the many that make being the Primary president so much easier.

Meeting Mateo

My younger sister had a sweet little baby last week, so today, I took several of the kids
(those that were at home and did not have to work) to meet her new little one and to tend
her other darling kids so that Megan could take the baby in for an appointment.

We loved being with her sweet kids, playing at the park, having fun in the backyard
and mostly, holding that adorable little boy. It was a good few hours for sure.  

Paper cutting class

Annie and I took the most incredible paper cutting class tonight from this darling expert
in the field. And Annie was an absolute natural! It ignited a big time fire under this girl
and she planned all sorts of projects on the hour drive home. I cannot wait to see
where it takes her, as big things are coming for our Annie. I have no doubt.